Holiday Party Survival Guide

7 ways to save your dignity

Holiday Party Survival GuideIt's that time of year again. Office parties, parties with friends, parties with friends you only party with around the holidays, and of course family events. You know what's going to happen. People are going to get caught up in the moment and over do it.

Are you the one who's going to wake up the morning after not knowing how you got home? Perhaps not even waking up in your own home? We all know how much fun it can be to get caught up in the moment, or to simply get lost during those chaotic family reunions with uncles passing gas and other people's kids throwing food at you. You sure they're blood relatives?

No matter why you're drinking, and let's face we're all drinking alcoholic beverages to get a little buzzed, the point should be to get a little buzzed and not blotto. It's easy to keep a mild buzz running all night long. You might not be the life of the party, but do you really want that on YouTube? You'll be thankful the next morning when waking up doesn't require four Advil, a ham, egg and cheese sandwich and two Bloody Marys!

To hydrate is great!!! Several years ago we went to an Eastern European restautant in Queens called Transylvania. With every bottle of wine they brought to the table, they also brought a bottle of seltzer. We finally asked, "Why all the seltzer?" The waitress said that as long as we drank as much seltzer as wine, we'd have no problems in the AM. While I definitely lost track of just how many bottles we went through, there was no price to pay in the morning. HYDRATE.

We've found a 'fail-safe' way to avoid the dangers inherent in any major cocktail party where the booze is flowing all-too-freely is to tell the host/hostess/bartender that "We're 'Designated Drivers" ... (even if we're not). We can then enjoy the party on our own terms 'alcohol-wise'.

Also, starting with a big glass of seltzer water with a slice of lemon or lime is another easy way to 'stay safe' while still having 'glass in hand'.